Archive of ‘Fitness’ category

Welcome to my fitness category. Come to this section when you need a little inspiration and motivation. Everyone needs a little
encouragement now and then. My hope is that I can provide just the quote, story, workout, tip or trick to help you get up and moving even
when you don't want to. I will share stories of trials and triumphs that are bound to inspire you and brighten your day. In addition,
I'll share some easy, creative, family friendly ideas for workouts, healthy everyday living and incorporating fitness into even the
busiest of lives.

As a Fitness Director and Trainer, I spend 8 plus hours a day at a Fitness Club. Therefore, the last thing I want to do on the weekend is head back to the club for my workout. This would take away time from my family and time from my already busy schedule traveling back and forth. But most importantly, I like to be outdoors for my workout whenever possible while challenging myself to come up with workouts that require little if any equipment staying true to my motto’s “No excuses!” Here is a quick, fun outdoor/indoor workout perfect for anyone with little time, no equipment and wants to be with family.

Perform 20 repetitions/20 Sets:

20 min run

3 x 20 lunges

3 x 20 jump squats

3 x 20 v-ups

3 x 20 bicep curls

3 x 20 dips

3 x 20 lateral raise

1 x 20 push ups

No excuses! If you don’t have any equipment yet, don’t fret! Be creative and substitute another exercise so you are still performing 20 full sets. For example, step ups, long jumps or skaters. These exercises require no equipment at all and get your heart pumping!

Only have a quick 30 minutes for your workout today? No problem. This fast and furious workout will burn max calories in little time. I call it the “Nifty Fifty!” I had several of my clients do it today and the best time was 20:40. Think you can beat it? Then get started! There is nothing better than a little “Friendly competition” after all. Let me know your time!

Perform 50 repetitions of the following 10 exercises as fast as your can. Time yourself and no cheating!

As a trainer, I spend a pretty good portion of my time talking to clients and other information seeking individuals about food and diet. While trainers are not nutritionist by any means, most good trainers have a vast knowledge of nutrition. I myself have dieted for competition, sport and general fitness for most of my life and have successfully helped many clients lose weight over my career. So while it may not be within the “scope of practice,” it is common and just a part of being a trainer.

The other day I was talking with one of my regular clients regarding his diet and was trying to drive home the importance of tracking his food so that he knows what he is consuming and can create a negative energy balance resulting in weight loss. In an effort to make my point, I told him to think of the quote “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a queen and dinner like a peasant.” My client thought the quote was clever, made sense and was easy to remember.

As I’m sitting here remembering my conversation with my client, I realize that this isn’t really the quote. The real quote is “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.” I figure I was close enough and at least it had the same meaning right?! One thing I know for sure, no matter how you put it, it makes sense and is really effective when it comes to losing weight.

Why you ask? Well there are many reasons. It all goes back to the idea of tapering your calories. First off, if you eat a larger breakfast, you have more hours to burn it off. You’ll also feel full and not reach for a snack to satisfy your cravings. Breakfast is the one meal that you can pack in some carbohydrates since they give you energy and you’ll burn them off. So grab some oatmeal, high protein cereal or Greek yogurt and fruit and go for it!

From a biological standpoint, your body has lower ghrelin, the hormone that makes you feel hungry during the day, making you feel more satiated, especially after a good breakfast. In addition, breakfast eaters have been said to have significantly lower levels of insulin, glucose, and fat in their blood, which may help lower the risk of diabetes and heart disease according to research.

Lastly, it only makes sense to eat a smaller, lower carbohydrate, high protein dinner because you have less time to work it off and will store any extras as fat! Dinner should consist of lean protein and veggies in the ideal world. And if you were tapering appropriately throughout the day, you will be satisfied with this “Pauper” sized meal!

So if you’re looking to drop a few pounds, “Eat dinner like a king, lunch like a queen and dinner like a peasant.”

So I’m sitting here watching the biggest loser, one of my favorite shows and I’ll admit that my eyes have been misty from the first minute it started. Okay, maybe a bit more than misty! While my outside persona may not always show it, I am a very sensitive and emotional person who finds, hope, inspiration, knowledge and motivation in everything I come into contact with. I believe that life is truly one big classroom and opportunity to learn and grow.

Thankfully, this belief has really helped me be a passionate and talented trainer who thrives on making a difference in people’s lives. Ive always said that my clients teach me way more than I teach them. They inspire me to be better because I’m open to learning. I believe that the same goes for people looking to get fit and Healthy. If they open their eyes, inspiration is all around us.

In a world so focused on fitness and health, it’s easy to find information, inspiration and motivation around every corner if you really want it. Gone are the days of being able to say, “I didn’t know” or “I don’t know what to do!” If you aren’t on your “journey” yet, chances are your friend, family or someone you come into contact with is. It’s your choice whether you want to “jump onto their coat tails” and go along for the ride.

In life, you need to ask for what you want, jump at every opportunity, learn from everything, ask for help when you need and most of all be your personal best, no excuses!

So just when we thought that the Holidays were over and we could finally get back to business, here we are in the midst of yet another Holiday. My kids just went back to schools last week! Sure it’s only one day, but it is sure hard to get back on track with these kids hanging around! I love them and all, but enough is enough.

As much as I’ve enjoyed the Holidays and all of our favorite traditions like baking every treat imaginable, I’m ready to reclaim my non-bloated, lean and athletic body. The thing about the holidays and all of our favorite holiday food is that when you eat bad, everything else follows. You exercise less and do everything in excess, good or bad! And I don’t know about you, but until those kids are solid back in school, it’s easy to come up with excuses to eat pizza, skip workouts etc.

Well, no more “bad Santa” for me! Since this last couple of weeks of the Holidays has really made me feel bad from way too much over indulging, I’ve been strategizing my “get it back together” plan for quite some time now and there is no time like the present. I’ve devised a list of some of my tips/tricks, plans and strategy below in case you want to join my in getting back on track!

Tips and tricks for getting back on track:

Start fresh by getting active. What you do first thing in the morning sets the tone for your entire day. If you start active, you’ll stay active. If you start eating heathy, you’ll likely continue eating healthy. Therefore, choose your activities wisely and set yourself up for a great, Healthy day!

Clean up and clean out! This is the perfect time to clean up and clean out all the bad stuff that you’ve over indulged in over the past few weeks. Time to send all that temptation packing! Send it to your husbands work and let the vultures at it. If it isn’t in your house, you can’t eat it!

Give up the booze. I’ll have to admit, this one is hard for me for once. While I’m not a big drinker, I’ve learned to enjoy a good glass of red wine this holiday season and will be sad to see it go. However, I know that when I drink, I eat more and don’t make the best choices so it must go! Worse, alcohol is full of sugar which goes right to our waistline. Be gone booze!

Jump on the water! It’s very common that when you eat bad, your water intake falls off too. Most good habits in fact suffer. One of the best ways of all to cleanse your body and re-set in a way is to increase your water intake. For best results, don’t just increase it, drown yourself in water! The more you put in, the better you’ll feel as it will keep you full, flush you out and make you feel pure and Healthy.

Go lean and clean. As much as I hate to throw away a good leftover, I’m done with the bad food and ready to start clean. Therefore, either toss out the leftovers or give them to someone that can afford to eat them (like my skinny teenage boys.) commit to make your meals, lean and clean from this point forward. I’ve already planned a nice protein salad for dinner for my hubby and me.

Build a Healthy menu and cook, cook, cook! The best way to ensure you’ll eat good and get back to your fit and Healthy self or get fit and Healthy now is to plan, prepare and portion out. Cook a lot at one time so you are prepared for anything and don’t have an excuse to eat bad.

Make a goal. There is no better time then the new year to come up with a new health and fitness goal. Don’t call it a New Years resolution, we tend to not keep these! Call it a goal and treat it like just that. People who have real, specific, observable and measurable goals are more likely to meet them.

I hope you’ll join me in getting back on track in the new year and reclaiming our beautiful Healthy bodies that serve us best.

What new health food trends are on the horizon? Which ingredients will be in health food stores everywhere? And what will restaurant menus be peddling? Here’s the scoop for 2014.

Cauliflower is the Next Kale

Cauliflower is taking a page from the kale playbook and stepping up its game. As with its leafy green buddy, culinary enthusiasts are finding new and exciting ways to use the nutrient-dense veggie.

Local and Sustainable (Again)

According to the National Restaurant Association’s 2014 Culinary Forecast, local is big (or would that be bigger?) in 2014. Locally sourced meats and seafood and locally grown produce top the list.

Smaller Portions, Smaller Price

Just sneaking into the top 20 of the National Restaurant Association’s list of trends is a call for portion control. Consumers are looking for less, and whether it’s about budgets or waste, smaller portions are a better idea for patrons’ waistlines.

Breakfast Goes High-Protein

A survey conducted by ConAgra Foods found that 82 percent of those who eat breakfast do so at home. Topping the list of preferred choices: high-protein options like Greek yogurt and eggs.

Homemade Soda

Forget about sugary cans and vending machine bottles. Thanks to bubble-injecting devices like SodaStream, those crazy about carbonation are mixing their own concoctions with everything from fruit juice to alcohol to herbal tea. More homemade sodas, including cocktails for the grown-ups and treats for the kids, are in style for the year ahead.

Allergen-Friendly Nation

The gluten-free craze has meant an increased awareness of all types of food sensitivities and allergies, making it a bit easier for those who suffer from them to navigate various food choices at restaurants and grocery stores.

Chili

According to Google, the most searched recipe of 2013 was (drum roll, please) … chili! Classic comfort foods will always be trendy. There are plenty of ways to lighten up this hearty classic in the New Year.